Moving into a quaint cottage means I’ve found it hard to settle on a decor trend this winter. I’ve been scouring the internet to find the top Christmas trends in 2023 – and which ones will suit our small cottage.
This time last year, we were facing our first Christmas in our new home and our biggest thought about decorating at the time was whether or not our giant tree would still fit! Spoiler alert: it did, just about..! We barely had time to really think about the look or theme we wanted to achieve over Christmas so just settled on the decorations we already had.
This year, I wanted to put a lot more thought into things. Not only is Christmas my favourite time of year, but it’s really special to me too in that it was my mum’s favourite time of year also. When I was younger, my parents would always go out of their way to make Christmas super special. My mum, in particular, turned the house into a winter wonderland with her amazing decor skills.
As I’ve grown up and moved into my own home, I’ve wanted to try and re-create that feeling as best I could – or at least decorate my tree up to what her standards were!
There’s also the point that our cottage is pretty small. Our giant Christmas tree does just about fit (although it’s slightly oversized and takes up much of the room, I refuse to swap it for a smaller one). But because of the size of the house, we have to be quite selective with decorations to keep it looking nice and not tacky.
I’ve been looking into the different trends that are growing this year and wanted to share some of my favourites.
Please note, this is my first time writing a post like this, so please be nice! There are, of course, affiliate links included but these are at no extra cost to you should you choose to purchase anything.
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90s/Vintage Christmas
I couldn’t believe it when I walked into Frosts Garden Centre recently and saw an entire section dedicated to those old foil garlands and ceiling decorations. Seeing these in all different bright colours – plus gold and silver – takes me right back to my childhood when my Nan’s ceiling would be filled with them. Paired with the angel hair tinsel and chocolate treats on the tree, it really is a total throwback. The best part is that it’s not even as tacky as I thought it would be – I think if done right, using such decorations can create a really vintage and kitsch Christmas.
Get The Look
Foil Christmas Garlands, £2.99, The Range
Ultimate 1980s Vintage Christmas Decorations, £28.00, Etsy
The Twiddlers 12 Piece Christmas Mini Glass Baubles, £16,99, Amazon
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Victorian Christmas
Victorian Christmas is another really popular Christmas trend this year. This is another vintage trend, though it takes inspiration from much further back than the 80s obviously! This theme is relatively simple, which makes it perfect for cottages, with touches like plain wreaths adorned with just a simple bow and tall taper candles in gold holders. Selecting ribbons in more muted tones like rust or copper can go a long way in accessorising things like paintings or door knobs. Instead of paying out for smaller greenery like hanging cedar or mistletoe, get outside and forage your own!
Get The Look
Foliage Berries Christmas Garland, £21.74, Etsy
Wooden Cranberry Garland, £13.57, Amazon (use this to style a plain, greenery-heavy garland!)
Copper Velvet Ribbon, £8.00+, Esty
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Luxe Jewel Tones
Rich and glamorous colours like burgundy, emerald and teal are proving to be very popular this year, particularly paired with softer textures like gold feathers and pampas grass. Less is more with this trend, but it means it transitions perfectly into the new year without looking sad once the Christmas festivities are over.
Get The Look
Opulent Navy Blue Christmas Baubles, £14.99, Amazon
Peacock Feather Christmas Wreath, £58.99, Etsy
Honeycombe Hanging Christmas Tree Decorations, £9.44 (I also spotted these in Primark recently but in limited colours)
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Frazzled English Christmas
Taking inspo from our fave frazzled English heroes like Iris from The Holiday and Bridget Jones, Frazzled English Christmas is all about more is more. Think over-the-top decorations and mismatched tree decorations. Who cares if it’s messy and the colours clash? It’s all about maximalist Christmas that gives off cosy vibes with small twinkling fairy lights and huge red bows. Take traditional Christmas and give it a cosy and kitsch twist to achieve this style.
Get The Look
Felt Christmas Baubles, £19.95, Etsy (I love that these are something you can make yourself!)
Artificial Christmas Wreath, £9.99, TK Maxx
Pack of 6 Flocked Baubles, £6.00, Dunelm
I think my favourite trend definitely has to be a tie between Victorian Christmas, closely followed by Frazzled English Christmas. I love the dark simplicity of Victorian Christmas, but I also adore the messy, over-the-top colours of Frazzled English Christmas. If you’re interested, you can see more of these trends on my Pinterest board here!
What’s your favourite trend? Let me know!
